Varsity and JV Racing

What is the experience like for middle school students?

Middle school students not quite ready for the 4-day / week commitment, and/or who want to supplement their skills and confidence with an extra boost of coaching are encouraged to check out the NYSA Bobcats program.   

That being said, we've had many middle school students participate successfully on our high school team at the JV or Varsity level.  We do not run a Junior Varsity program in the spring, however, though we can accommodate some middle school students in our Varsity program.  

Middle school students get a leg up on the skills they need to be competitive in high school sailing, whether they continue on to Maury, Granby, or The Hague School, or choose to move on to schools with their own Varsity sailing programs, such as Norfolk Collegiate and Norfolk Academy.   

Do students need to know how to sail to join?

We welcome sailors of all levels of experience.    Our racing boats are two-person FJs, in which students can either serve as skipper or crew.   While we encourage students to experience both roles, often students start in the crew role and build toward the skipper role.  To find competitive success at the Varsity level, ideally students will gain exposure in middle school or in their 9th grade year at the Junior Varsity level before moving into Varsity.  That being said, we've had students start at the Varsity level with minimal experience and do quite well!

When are the racing seasons?  How are the seasons different?

The VISA league runs a Fall and Spring season.   A the start of each season, the team holds a team formation meeting to gage interest.   Join our mailing list to stay in the loop on the date of our next team formation meeting.    Fall season tends to be warmer and less equipment intensive, and is the preferred season for novice joiners.   Spring season is colder and longer, and typically requires sailors to purchase wet suits and dry suits.

What is the time commitment?  How much travel is involved?

Varsity practice typically runs 3 days per week (Mon, Tues, Thurs), from 3:45 - 6:30PM at the Norfolk Yacht and Country Club (NYCC).  Junior Varsity practice typically runs 2 days per week (Mon, Tues), from 3:45 - 6:30PM.

Regattas are typically held on Saturdays, and run from 7:30AM - 3PM.    Varsity typically has 10-12 regattas in a season, and JV typically has 4-5.  Regattas are alternately held at NYCC,  Youth Sail Virginia, or The Christchurch School and require families to provide transportation.  Car-pooling is quite common on regatta days.

League events are largely run by adult volunteers, so parents are encouraged to assist as members of the board, with fundraising, and in volunteer roles at regattas. 

Who are the coaches?

NYSA has been fortunate to establish a relationship with Old Dominion University sailing team, which is one of the strongest college sailing programs in the US.    In any given season, we typically have a rotation of 3-4 paid coaches, most of them ODU sailing team alums.   Colleen Baumann, herself an ODU sailing team alum, serves as our head coach, coordinating all coaching and regattas with our board, which is elected by families each year.  If you are interested in coaching with us, please reach out to headcoach@norfolkyouthsailing.org.

How much are the seasonal dues?

Team sailing dues vary each season depending on the size of the team and our coaching needs,  however they are typically between $500 and $600 and cover all coaching and sailboat costs for 12 to 13 weeks of practices and regattas.  Junior Varsity dues are slightly lower.  Financial assistance can be made available to those in need thanks to the team's fundraising efforts.  We believe cost should never be a barrier to a student who wants to sail.

What equipment will I need and what does it cost?

The cost of the boats (Club FJs) is covered by your sailing dues.   Beyond that, vest style PFD (life jackets) and helmets are mandatory.   A spray top (waterproof shell or fleece) is highly recommended in the Fall season.  During Spring season, dry suits and wetsuits are typically a requirement.    Most gear can be purchased used or through a bulk purchase discount with the team, but you can expect total one-time gear cost should be between $200 and $500.